Bifur's parentage is unknown; the only familial connections mentioned are that the brothers [[Bombur]] and [[Bofur]]<ref name="Flies">{{H|Flies}}</ref> are his cousins.<ref name="Inside">{{H|Inside}}</ref> He was not of Durin's line although he was descended from Dwarves of [[Moria]].<ref name="Durin"/> His birth year is also unknown. However, from [[Bilbo Baggins]]' account of the quest to Erebor it is known that the brothers [[Fíli]] and [[Kíli]] were the youngest of the thirteen "by some fifty years"<ref name="Hill">{{H|Hill}}</ref> and that after Thorin had been captured, [[Balin]] was "the eldest left".<ref>{{H|Barrels}}</ref> Since Fíli was born in {{TA|2859}} and Balin was born in {{TA|2763|n}},<ref name="Durin"/> this would put Bifur's birth between {{TA|2809|n}} and {{TA|2763|n}}, and he would have been between 132 and 178 years old during the quest to Erebor.

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Bifur's parentage is unknown; the only familial connections mentioned are that the brothers [[Bombur]] and [[Bofur]]<ref name="Flies">{{H|Flies}}</ref> are his cousins.<ref name="Inside">{{H|Inside}}</ref> He was not of Durin's line although he was descended from Dwarves of [[Moria]].<ref name="Durin"/> His birth year is also unknown. However, from [[Bilbo Baggins]]' account of the quest to Erebor it is known that the brothers [[Fíli]] and [[Kíli]] were the youngest of the thirteen "by some fifty years"<ref name="Hill">{{H|Hill}}</ref> and that after Thorin had been captured, [[Balin]] was "the eldest left".<ref>{{H|Barrels}}</ref> Since Fíli was born in {{TA|2859}} and Balin was born in {{TA|2763|n}},<ref name="Durin"/> this would put Bifur's birth between 2809 and {{TA|2763|n}}, and he would have been between 132 and 178 years old during the quest to Erebor.

:Bifur will be played by [[William Kircher]].<ref name="PJCasting">{{webcite|author=[[Peter Jackson]]|articleurl=http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150168211921558|articlename=Production begins in New Zealand on The Hobbit|dated=20-March-2011|website=[http://www.facebook.com/ Facebook]|accessed=23-Dec-2011}}</ref> A description of Bifur in ''The Hobbit'' films was released by the studio:

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:Bifur is played by [[William Kircher]].<ref name="PJCasting">{{webcite|author=[[Peter Jackson]]|articleurl=http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150168211921558|articlename=Production begins in New Zealand on The Hobbit|dated=20-March-2011|website=[http://www.facebook.com/ Facebook]|accessed=23-Dec-2011}}</ref> A description of Bifur in ''The Hobbit'' films was released by the studio:

:{{Blockquote|Born in the West, Bifur has the rusting remains of an Orc axe embedded in his forehead, which has rendered him inarticulate and occasionally feisty! He communicates only with grunts and hand gestures. Unlike most of the others in The Company of Dwarves, Bifur is not related to Thorin, nor is he of noble lineage, but rather is descended from miners and smithies – simple folk with simple tastes.|[[Warner Bros.]]<ref name="HobbitApp">{{webcite|author=[[Warner Bros.]]|articleurl=http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hobbit-movies/id545808528|articlename=Hobbit Movies|dated=7-September-2012|website=[http://itunes.apple.com/ Apple iPhone/iPad App]|accessed=19-September-2012}}</ref>}}

:{{Blockquote|Born in the West, Bifur has the rusting remains of an Orc axe embedded in his forehead, which has rendered him inarticulate and occasionally feisty! He communicates only with grunts and hand gestures. Unlike most of the others in The Company of Dwarves, Bifur is not related to Thorin, nor is he of noble lineage, but rather is descended from miners and smithies – simple folk with simple tastes.|[[Warner Bros.]]<ref name="HobbitApp">{{webcite|author=[[Warner Bros.]]|articleurl=http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hobbit-movies/id545808528|articlename=Hobbit Movies|dated=7-September-2012|website=[http://itunes.apple.com/ Apple iPhone/iPad App]|accessed=19-September-2012}}</ref>}}

History

Bifur's parentage is unknown; the only familial connections mentioned are that the brothers Bombur and Bofur[3] are his cousins.[4] He was not of Durin's line although he was descended from Dwarves of Moria.[1] His birth year is also unknown. However, from Bilbo Baggins' account of the quest to Erebor it is known that the brothers Fíli and Kíli were the youngest of the thirteen "by some fifty years"[5] and that after Thorin had been captured, Balin was "the eldest left".[6] Since Fíli was born in T.A.2859 and Balin was born in 2763,[1] this would put Bifur's birth between 2809 and 2763, and he would have been between 132 and 178 years old during the quest to Erebor.

The Quest of Erebor

In T.A.2941, Bifur was one of the four Dwarves in the fifth group to arrive at Bag End, wearing a yellow hood. He asked for raspberry jam and apple-tart. During the evening when Thorin called for music, Bifur (along with Bofur) played a clarinet.[7]

In the wolves' glade Bifur shared a pine tree with Bofur, Bombur, and Thorin.[8]

When Gandalf was telling the story of the company's adventures to Beorn, Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur were the last of the Dwarves to show up.[9]

After the barrel ride down the River Running both Bifur and Bofur came out fairly dry and not very knocked about, but they lay down and refused to do anything.[10]

On the doorstep on the side of the Lonely Mountain, when Thorin commented that the next day was the beginning of the last week of autumn, Bifur pointedly added, "And winter comes after autumn".[11]

Later life

Etymology

The name of Bívurr originates in the Dvergatal. It is of Old Frisian origin, meaning "Beaver" or, by extension, "Hard Worker".[13]

Other versions of the legendarium

In one of the earliest manuscript fragments of The Hobbit, Bifur and Bofur went into the hall and came back with their walking sticks, which they turned into clarinets.[14] In the published text the two Dwarves came back from the hall with clarinets that they had left with their walking sticks.[7]John Rateliff (author of The History of The Hobbit) said that in the earliest phase Tolkien had added fairy tale touches of Dwarven magic to emphasize the uncanny, other-worldly nature of the Dwarves as opposed to Bilbo.[15]

Originally, when Bombur needed propping up in Mirkwood after being cut from the spiders' webbing, it was his cousins Bifur and Bofur who provided support.[16] In the published story this was changed to Bombur's cousin Bifur and brother Bofur.[3] Also, in the earlier version, when Smaug first came out and the Dwarves in the valley had to be hauled up to the Back Door, Bifur cried out to save Bombur and Bofur, who were both his brothers.[17] In the published text Bifur cried out for his two cousins.[4]

In Tolkien's unfinished 1960 rewrite of The Hobbit, Bifur, Bofur and Bombur were Thorin's attendants.[18]John D. Rateliff assumes this made them either courtiers or honor-guard.[19]

Notes

In the earliest partial manuscript of The Hobbit more of the dialog later assigned to a few of the Dwarves is more evenly distributed. In the opinion of John Rateliff (author of The History of The Hobbit) this streamlining strengthened the story through simplification, but at the cost of relegating some of the Dwarves to obscurity since they barely speak at all. Bifur is one of these "silenced" members of the company.[20]

Bifur is played by William Kircher.[22] A description of Bifur in The Hobbit films was released by the studio:

Born in the West, Bifur has the rusting remains of an Orc axe embedded in his forehead, which has rendered him inarticulate and occasionally feisty! He communicates only with grunts and hand gestures. Unlike most of the others in The Company of Dwarves, Bifur is not related to Thorin, nor is he of noble lineage, but rather is descended from miners and smithies – simple folk with simple tastes.—Warner Bros.[23]